Bromsgrove

Bromsgrove's population grew in the decade leading up to the most recent census. At the same time there were changes in housing tenure, marriage and work life.

The population reached nearly 94,000

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Bromsgrove increased by 6.6%, from about 87,800 to 93,600.

The addition of just over 5,800 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Bromsgrove was home to, on average, 3.1 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was similar to the average across the West Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the West Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Bromsgrove

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Bromsgrove increased by three years, from 41 to 44 years.

This affluent area had a higher average age than the West Midlands and remained older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 2,700 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 3,000.

About 13% of people in Bromsgrove are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Bromsgrove by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Bromsgrove

The percentage of Bromsgrove residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 88% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 25 (3.7%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.9% in 2001. The percentage of Bromsgrove residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 8.7% to 8.3%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (which remained close to 89%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 90%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents that reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Bromsgrove, but at a slower rate than in Redditch (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Bromsgrove).

In Bromsgrove, the proportion of private renting increased from 4.3% in 2001 to 8.8% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Redditch increased from 4.3% to 12%.

Across the West Midlands, the share of privately rented homes increased from 7.3% to 14%.

The rate of social housing in Bromsgrove fell from 11% to 10.0%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 83% to 79%.

Private renting in Bromsgrove increased by 4.5 percentage points

Percentage of households in Bromsgrove, the West Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Bromsgrove

The percentage of single people in Bromsgrove increased from 23% to 27% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over one in two (55%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 59% in 2001. The percentage of adults in Bromsgrove that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 9.3% to 11%.

The proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 29% in 2001 to 34% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 30% to 35%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Bromsgrove working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 15% to 11% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (2.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.9% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 13% in 2001 to 9.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Bromsgrove decreased by 3.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Bromsgrove, the West Midlands and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Bromsgrove residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 7.7% to 4.8% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (82%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 71% in 2001. The percentage of Bromsgrove residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21% to 13%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 9.7% in 2001 to 6.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Bromsgrove decreased by 2.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Bromsgrove, the West Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Bromsgrove

The number of people in Bromsgrove from the White ethnic groups increased from just under 86,000 in 2001 to just under 90,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the local population, this represented a decrease from 98% to 96%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the West Midlands (from 89% to 83%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Bromsgrove from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 820 in 2001 to just over 1,900 in 2011 (from 0.9% to 2.1%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from about 690 to about 1,400 (from 0.8% to 1.5%).

About 440 people (0.3%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from about 300 in 2001 (0.5%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Bromsgrove decreased by 2.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Bromsgrove by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of self-employment

The percentage of Bromsgrove residents that were self-employed increased from 10% to 11% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over one in two (55%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 56% in 2001. The percentage of Bromsgrove residents that were unemployed increased from 2.1% to 3.1%.

The proportion of self-employed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 7.4% in 2001 to 8.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.2% to 9.7%.

The rate of self-employment was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were self-employed across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Bromsgrove, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.6% to 9.0% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in four (26%) households had only one person, compared with 24% in 2001. The percentage of households in Bromsgrove which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 45% to 40%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 7.9% in 2001 to 9.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Bromsgrove residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.1% to 1.4% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.8%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 1.2% in 2001 to 1.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Bromsgrove remained close to 1.4%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Bromsgrove by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Bromsgrove

The number of people in Bromsgrove that described themselves as Muslim increased from about 260 in 2001 to just over 500 in 2011. This represents a change from 0.3% to 0.5% of those who chose to disclose information about their religious beliefs.

Across the West Midlands, the percentage of people from this religious group increased from 4.1% to 6.7%, while across England the percentage went from 3.2% to 5.2%.

The number of people in Bromsgrove that described themselves as Christian decreased from just over 70,000 in 2001 to about 65,000 in 2011 (from 80% to 69%). The number of people who described themselves as having no religion increased from about 10,000 to about 21,000 (from 12% to 22%).

Just under 6,500 people (6.8%) did not state their religion, up from just over 6,000 in 2001 (6.9%).

The population who identified as Muslim in Bromsgrove remained close to 0.5%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Bromsgrove by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Bromsgrove with only adult children living with their parents remained close to 11% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (29%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 30% in 2001. While the percentage of households in Bromsgrove without children increased from 59% to 60%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 10% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

↑ Back to the top

Area report data

Related links